let fly

Related to let fly: be damned, get to the bottom of, no less, pay a visit

let fly

1. To launch something, often as a weapon. A noun or pronoun can be used between "let" and "fly." At the sound of the whistle, the kids let fly their water balloons.
2. To launch into a verbal attack. I don't know what made him so angry, but he suddenly let fly with a string of expletives.
See also: fly, let
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

let fly

Discharge a missile or fire a weapon; also, attack verbally. For example, He let fly a rotten egg at the speaker, or They let fly some insults laced with four-letter words. The first usage dates from about a.d. 1000, the second from the late 1500s.
See also: fly, let
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

let ˈfly (at somebody/something) (with something)

(informal)
1 throw, shoot, etc. something with great force: He aimed his gun and let fly.
2 attack somebody/something: When I told him that I couldn’t find the letter, he let fly at me. She let fly at her neighbour with a stream of insults.
See also: fly, let
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

let fly

1. To shoot, hurl, or release: The troops let fly a volley of gunfire.
2. To lash out; assault: The mayor let fly with an angry attack on her critics.
See also: fly, let
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • fly out of
  • fly out of (some place)
  • flew
  • I gotta fly
  • I‘ve gotta fly
  • I’ve got to fly
  • I've got to fly
  • take off from
  • take off from (something or some place)
  • take off from work
References in periodicals archive
The Colliers enjoyed plenty of the ball as they looked to turn up the heat, but they were almost undone when Balmer let fly from 20 yards with the diving Towart pulling off a tremendous save to parry his top-corner-bound drive.
Striker Cwyka found himself in possession on the left hand edge of the penalty area and let fly. Substitute keeper Jamie Jones made a fine effort to deflect the effort, but it found the net.
Smith let fly with his comment after seeing a French player petulantly throwing the ball at an opponent, which earned a rebuke from the referee.
A woman let fly a string of insults about my children.
Also, 'tisn't cricket for a British Spitfire to let fly at an American B-25.
She said: "I let fly with a few Anglo-Saxon four-letter words that Disney had never heard before."
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, who scored a late equaliser against Town at Ashton Gate earlier this season, let fly with a rasping 20-yard shot which flew past Joe Anyon at his near post for the opening goal on 18 minutes.
He just popped a few because of the ground and didn't let fly," said De Bromhead.
It was almost worse for Lyon moments later when Robben let fly from outside the area and the shot took a deflection before brushing, the right upright.
Orient failed to deal with Andy Liddell's corner and Mark Allott let fly with an explosive shot.
Sub Neil McCallum thought he'd won it when he let fly in injury time but his shot crashed back off the post.
On the football field a goal I will always remember was at Wrexham in a League Cup replay in 1970 when he got the ball just inside their half, slipped around a couple of defenders and then let fly from around 30 yards with his trusty left foot with the ball nestling sweetly in the back of the net.
Dhorasoo let fly at coach Guy Lacombe for "an inexplicable decision" and now faces an extended lay-off.
They took the lead after half an hour when former Manchester United starlet Michael Twiss put them ahead when he let fly from 20 yards.
That always puts goalkeepers in two minds - they never know when someone will suddenly let fly or when they will instead try and find the killer through ball for a team-mate.